In some types of electrophotographic imaging processes, such as in a color electrophotographic printer, a transfer belt or transfer drum is used to accumulate the toner developed on the photoconductor prior to the transfer to the print media. This intermediate operation may be performed, for example, in a color electrophotographic printer which successively develops each color plane of an image onto the photoconductor drum and then transfers each developed color plane of the image onto a transfer belt. After the image is accumulated onto the transfer belt, the image is transferred onto the print media.
However, the process of transferring the image from the transfer belt to the print media is usually not complete. Residual toner which does not transfer to the print media must be substantially removed to prevent print quality defects from subsequently occurring. Attempts have been made to charge the residual toner in such a way that the residual toner can be electrostatically moved from the transfer belt back to the photoconductor. Residual toner which has been returned to the photoconductor can be removed by a cleaning blade. Previous attempts to remove the residual toner by mechanical or electrostatic means have not been sufficiently effective. A need exists for an apparatus which will properly charge residual toner to permit electrostatic removal from the surface carrying the residual toner.